Bright little vases...

Check out these sweet little pops of color I picked up at Crate & Barrel (here & here) when I was in Houston (we don't have any here in Pittsburgh). They're only $9.99 each and come in a yummy, popsicle array of colors! They've been moving around the house day to day- perfect for brightening the next 6-10" of snow we're supposed to get today!

On Dish Towels...

I have issues with dish towels.

See, the cute ones rarely seem to be functional. And so, I have a stockpile of mediocre but cute-ish towels. Check out these little gems on the bottom though...

They're from Target for like $6 for 2 (I think). They look so cute with the fox tea towel Jesse got me for Christmas (from Anthropologie)! They're for Valentine's Day, but the colors work well enough, that I think I'll be stocking up & using them year round. I bought some uber-Valentine's ones from Target last year that are VERY absorbent- but I always feel silly using them year round. These might not look as chic as higher-end towels, but IMHO they're perfect because they actually dry dishes but don't look nasty hanging in plain sight!

I know I'm not the only one plagued by this. Does anyone else have any suggestions for cute and functional dish towels??

Nell's Nifty New Knobs...

I visited family in Houston recently, and kept gushing about what an improvement new knobs make to the ikea Hemnes dressers (since both sisters have them too). I convinced my mom to trek over to Anthropologie with me, and we scored these sweet little knobs on clearance for $2.95 each! We gave them to Nell to spruce up her little 'loft' apartment- and they look so cute!!!

I am of the opinion that anyone with a Hemnes should invest in some swanky new knobs for it. Even something super-cheap can make such a statement. I have designs on these for our upstairs bedroom dresser...

SNOWPOCALYPSE

Well, we're all snowed in here! The day was spent marveling at the 4th greatest snowfall for the region & then shoveling ourselves out.

God's mercies are great! We didn't lose power, but we're pretty much stuck. Our church is only going to be open for people who can walk there- what with there being absolutely nowhere to park in town. We're warm, bundled up, and have plenty of food, but please keep the thousands without power, stranded on roads, etc in your prayers!!

On Packaging...

Now that I'm back from Houston, I have several little things to share, but I need a quick break to get my thoughts (and pictures) together. In the mean time, I thought I'd do a post on packaging- particularly that of my paintings. Having a good product is only one part of the equation as most people know- no one wants to receive something beautiful in a crummy, ill-wrapped manner! Here's a peek at what you'll get when you order a CozyLittleCave painting:

All my paintings come with my logo and contact information on the back of the frame, as well as an extra signature, date, and title.

Paintings are always protected with a layer of parchment paper, and then wrapped in simple, brown craft paper.

You'll get several business cards to keep handy if your friends ask!

Packages are tied in twine & get a big CozyLittleCave thank you sticker!

Depending on the size and number of paintings, they're then wrapped in bubble wrap and supported with extra cardboard & any other support or cushion necessary.

I ship US Priority mail service (2-3 days) to ensure a safe, speedy delivery, and once they're shipped off, customers receive an email letting them know & giving them a copy of their invoice.

That's about it for my packing and shipping! At this point, if I'm not packing another one, I'm off to work on some more paintings! :D

More Ridiculous Dachshunds...

Just added some new designs over in my Envelop Shop! Check them out! In honor of Nell's birthday yesterday, they're all wiener-dog themed. More to come soon of a different nature, but for now, here's a taste of what's new!

Happy Groundhog Birthday Nell!

Happy Groundhog Day to everyone, and Happy Birthday to my little sister Nell, who is 20 today! Here's a pic of her in her younger days, hanging out with a pack of "groundhogs." :)